The Handi-Measure makes the measuring process painless for both anglers and
fish

Date:

11/11/04

Tackle type:

Fly Fishing
Tools

Manufacturer:

Angling
Designs

Reviewer:

Zander

Total Score: 8.16

Introduction: Fly fisherman are among
the most conscientiousanglers, and often go to great lengths to ensure that fish
are not harmed during the entire angling process. These days this philosophy is
becoming just as prevalent among bassmen, as anglers land lunkers, measure the
trophy, snap a pic, and tenderly return the fish to water. Angling Design’s
Handi-Measure is a unique tool that allows anglers to make the entire measuring
process simple for both themselves and fish.

Angling
Designs Handi-Measure Specifications

Housing Material

Plastic

Tape Length

36 inches (90 centimeters)

Measurement

Inches & Metric

Fasteners

Velcro

Additional Features

flexible tape, rustproof design, mounts on any net

MSRP

$13.95

Impressions:The Handi-Measure is
essentially a compact weatherproof tape measure that can be easily mounted to
just about any net. This simple idea is well carried out with the
Handi-Measure's unpretentious dependable design. When I first received the
Handi-Measure the unit was a little smaller than I thought it would be and I
immediately liked the way in which the unit was designed to mount on the handle.
No metal to rust on this unit, and Velcro straps allow the Handi-Measure to
fasten on just about any net, without any harm to your net's handle.

Attaching
the Handi-Measure to your landing net takes seconds

Real World Test: Before going out on the water we actually stress tested
the recoil mechanism on the tape measure by pulling vigorously on the tape.
After a great many pulls we were convinced that the Handi-Measure was indeed
durable enough for outdoor use, and could easily deal with violent repetitive
pulls. We then field tested the Handi-Measure in two very different
applications. First we employed the Handi-Measure while fly fishing for trout,
then we used the Handi-Measure to appraise the length of some largemouth bass
while fishing from our bass boat.

The
Handi-Measure stays secure when extending the tape measure over the net
opening

Installation:
The
Handi-Measure is fastened to your net with the attached adjustable Velcro ties.
The Velcro fastenings attach at two points, around your net’s neck and through
the junction of the opening. This forms a secure three point fastening, and
prevents the Handi-Measure from rotating during the measuring process.
Installation takes mere seconds, and throughout our tests we didn’t have to
re-adjust or tighten the Velcro fastenings at all, the measure holds securely
during gear transport and while fishing.

When the
fish has settled carefully support the fish from below the net and measure
your catch. When fish are very active it is possible to gently secure them
from below

Handi-Measure in action:
While fly fishing for trout we performed the entire landing procedure exactly
like we would normally do once hooked up, then once it came time to measure the
fish we found that we no longer needed to reach inside our vests and pull out a
tape measure since the Handi-Measure was now conveniently mounted on our net. We
lifted the net to the surface and kept the fish as submerged as possible then
reached underneath the net to support the fish and before we knew what happened
the fish had flopped out of the net and was gone! What had gone wrong? What
essentially happened was we had not properly waited until the fish had settled
down, and had brought the fish to measuring position prematurely while the net
was not directly under the fish. It is absolutely important to wait until your
fish is ready to be measured. From that point on we knew better, and took our
time to ensure the fish was calm and ready before attempting to line the fish up
to the net.

The
Handi-Measure was just as easy to secure to our aluminum net

Cradling the fish in the center will allow the buoyancy to actually help
straighten out the fish naturally. By our third fish we had the entire process
down. When done correctly the fish will not flip out of your net, and instead
simply fall back into the net if active. Take your time and you and the fish
will both be better off. You can even caress the fish with your hand underneath
the net, which is much better than lifting a fish outside of the water since
your hand is always wet when reaching below the net. Larger trout that don't fit
in the net can still be measured by just extending the tail outside the net, the
tape can measure any fish up to 36 inches in length. With a little practice the
entire procedure became effortless.

Measure bass
quickly and easily similar to the same way as trout

Unlike fly fisherman bass anglers are accustomed
to horsing bass up and out of the water. While bass certainly are more robust in
nature than trout, it is still a good idea to get these fish back into the water
as fast as possible if you intend to practice CPR (catch-picture-release). We
found the Handi-Measure just as easy to mount on our economical aluminum net,
and it was easy to utilize the same techniques to measure bass in the water, or
quickly on the deck of the boat.

Applications:The Handi-Measure won’t
necessarily help you catch more fish but it is designed to improve the total
fishing experience for both you and your catch. Angling Designs does have
another product that will actually help you catch more fish, called the
“Quick-Seine.” The Quick Seine mounts on your net the same way that the Handi-Measure does, but instead of releasing a tape measure it holds a white
seine net that extends around the entire opening of your net. By dipping the
patented Quick-Seine into the river and shuffling a few rocks in front of the
net you immediately will discover the prevailing insects that are in the water
at the time. This helps anglers "match the hatch," and anglers gain an immediate
advantage by taking the guesswork out of what patterns and sizes to pick. The
Quick-Seine is another good example of the forward thinking that Angling Design's
products illustrate. What we liked best about this companion product was that it
easily mounted on the other side of the net without interfering with the Handi-Measure.
These two products effectively turn your landing net into 3 tools in one.

Ratings:

Angling
Designs Handi-Measure Ratings (?/10)

Construction/Quality

Solid construction, the plastic housing is
durable and water resistant, the tape measure is also corrosion resistant

9

Performance

The Handi-Measure performed well in our tests
and proved to be easy to use once we got the hang of it. The tape mechanism
is durable and stood up to our stress tests

8

Price

A reasonable price for a tool that can mount
on your landing net. Combine the Handi-Measure with the Quick-Seine for an
extra edge to catch fish

8

Features

Not all that many features in this product. It
is designed to do one thing, and it does do it well. We do like the fact
that the tape measure will not corrode

8

Design (Ergonomics)

Clever ergonomic design is easy to use once
you get used to the entire process. What seems clumsy at first will become
easy with a short amount of practice

8

Application

While designed for fly anglers the
Handi-Measure can be employed for other types of fishing including
largemouth. If Angling Designs could somehow combine a scale and measure
together it would certainly appeal to more bass anglers

8

Total Score

8.16

Pluses and Minuses:

Plus
Minus

J Good construction

L Takes a little practice to employ at first

J Solid, durable design

J Helps protect fish

J No more fumbling for a tape measure while
fishing

Conclusion: The main advantage of the
Handi-Measure is the ability to organize and access the measure instantly,
without having to juggle your fish around needlessly. No more fumbling for your
tape measure while standing in the middle of a river. This results in more time
for you to focus on doing what you are there to do, catch fish. But perhaps the
biggest benefactors of the Handi-Measure are the fish, due to the reduction of
contact with the angler fish are less stressed and have a much better chance of
returning to the stream in prime condition. The Handi-Measure and Quick-Seine
are patented or patent pending products, and Angling Designs has done a first
class job creating simple easy to use tools that will help improve both you and
your catch's encounter while on the river.